Hudson Grande Senior Living Provides for Disability Independence

July 26^th is National Disability Independence Day, which commemorates the signing of The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which happened on July 26, 1990. The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and access to state and local government programs and services.

ADA compliance means the appropriate and reasonable accommodations are in place for disabled persons. This includes things like large print, interpreters, wheelchair ramps, and allowing service animals.

Statistically, there are over 54 million Americans with a form of disability. When that number is broken down, that’s about 19 percent, or one in every five, Americans. As the population grows and ages, this number will only increase, making these regulations increasingly more important.

As the Regional Director of Plant Operations at Hudson Grande Senior Living, an ADA-compliant community that serves several individuals with disabilities, I work every day to keep our building accessible and safe. The ADA makes it easier for people with disabilities to function with their day-to-day tasks.

We install grab bars for extra safety in the residents’ bathrooms and use large transition strips where flooring material changes, to make it easier to navigate. The height of soap and towel dispensers are installed at a height that a person in a wheelchair can easily access them. One of our weekly tasks that take ADA compliance into consideration is door checks, to ensure push buttons function properly.

At home, I usually place things at a height that anyone can reach.

Our goal in everything we do is to continue providing the best possible accessibility opportunities to everyone within our community.